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Page 10 text:
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Edgar N. French, A.B., P.D., College Minister Ollie Burnside, Dietitian Julia B. Duncan, A.B., Registrar-treasurer Emily H. Harper, B.S., Secretary to Treasurer Hattie N. Flack, Dean of Women Helen Smith, Certificate, Secretary to Registrar Marion E. Gunn, A.B., Secretary to President Nina R. Dacons, Assistant Matron Lena V. Matthews, B.S., Secretary to Dean of Hood Theological Seminary Marlowe F. Shute, B.S., M.S., Ed.D. Chemistry Lois H. Reeves, R.N., B.S. College Nurse Alcestis Coleman, Director of Boys ' Dormitories
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Page 9 text:
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Class History The history of the class of 1959 is so dramatic and colorful that it resem- bles a play- one of those modern plays that so skiLLfully disregard all the rules of the drama. With your kind permission, I, as dramatic critic of the LIVING- STONIAN, shall review the play called The Class of 1959 in an absolutely non-prejudiced manner. Thisisaplay in four acts with three all too brief intermissions. Through- out the action, there is very incidental music by the college choral union. The play was written by the actors as they played their parts, under the direction of President Emeritus W. J.Trent, Acting President John H. Brockett, Presi- dent S. E. Duncan, and a Board of Trustees with the cooperation of loyal sup- porters of the A.M.E. Zion Churches throughout the United States and abroad. It is given by an all star cast. This play belongs to no particular classification, being, at various stages- no pun intended- comedy and tragedy and sometimes a review- spelled any way you please . The scenes all take place in Price Administration Building, Goler Hall, the Ubrary, Dodge Hall, Harris Hall, Ballard Hall, and the W. J. Trent Gymnasium. The stage settings are plain, showing signs of much use. Act 1 shows the arrival of the class as they enter the gates and feel the unusual tranquility beneath the maples and oaks. Their timidity and curious mistakes furnish some moments of bright comedy. There is rapidly rising action and the villian gradually puts in an appearance. He is called Study and is of alarming size and proportions. It is evident that he will interfere with the enjoyment and leisure of the actors, now known as Freshmen. At the close of the act, tragedy seems imminent because there is a des- perate affair- a mental crisis created by Study ' s brother, the villian, Exami- nations. But the Freshmen, with one last spurt of their tired brains, win. Somberness does not predominate in this act; there are athletic and social ac- tivities. The actors come back to the stage for curtain call; and from them, the audience discovers the following facts concerning the progress of the Fresh- men: Peggy Byers was elected by the football team as an attendant to Miss Homecoming; Marshall Lofton, AcoUa Moore, and Bernard Anderson were a- mong the top ten ranldng students; Daisy Bowman and Nancy McNeil distin- guished themselves in dramatics by participating in Deep Are the Roots ; Louis Martin, Fred Smith, Edmund Hasty, and William King have made a good showing on the football team; Louis Martin, Charles McDwain, and William King have received letters for their splendid performances on the hardwood ; honorable mention to the E.I.A.C. was also given to Louis Martin. And now the president of this illustrious class, William Durant, pulls the curtain on the rejoicing Freshmen who are nevertheless not whoUy free from afeeling that though this encounter with Study has been safely passed, the worst is yet to come. The actors are pleasing, but decidedly, amateurish. After an intermission of twelve weeks, during which the actors go away on vacations or stay at home and help with the work, the play is resumed. Act II shows the same people in the same place, but they are now known as Sophomores, owing to an advance in rank. A touch of pathos is found in the absence of several of the cast who were so disabled in the encounter with study ' s ally. Examinations, that they were unable to appear in the second act. There are pleasant divertissements in the shape of dances, concerts, and banquets. In this act, members of the cast seem to have achieved a charm, an ease of manner, and a feeling of security that were noticeably lacldng in Act I. Incipient love affairs are noticed, and the costumes are much more elaborate, as is also the make-up used. Yet the mention of Study, like the word soul of Siberia , in a Russian drama, casts a gloom over brightness. More time is spent than before in pre- paration is more systematic. There also seems to be more mental activity in the protagonists. As the curtains close on the Sophomores, we find that the following mem- bers of the cast have distinguished themselves: Cyphese Ramseur has been selectedasthe Sweetheart of the Lampados Club, Joelyn Sinton has earned the title of Miss Livingstone and the Sweetheart of Alpha Phi Alpha Faternity; and in dramatics, Acolia Moore, Mary Jordan, Nancy McNeil, Daisy Bowman, and Novella Legrand have taken part in A Man Called Peter . In the sports, we find that Carlotta Arthur, Gladys Torrence, Martha Bacote, and Thelma Burris were successful in making the girls ' basketbaU team; James Holmes, Nelson Pharr, John Mayfield and Roger Kirk have become members of the foot- ball team. The Most Valuable Player and Sidney Greene Awards have been won by Roger Kirk; the E.I.A.C. Honors went to Roger Kirk, Louis Martin, and Ed- mund Hasty. Another intermission, and we stagger in to Act HI. Again the same people in the same place- which may make the play sound monotonous to you, but 1 assure you it is not. The actors are so changed that each act seems like an entirley new play. They are called Juniors. Their positions and their pride both advanced, but there remains the haunting dread of Study, the villian. The director allows the actors much more freedom than they have pre- viously enjoyed. Many improve their performance because of this, but a few come to grief, and their poor performance detracts much from the possibili- ties of the play. There are many delightful interludes to make this a cheer- ful act. But with the added maturity of the players, there comes more strenuous preparation for encounters with the villain, who lurks ever in the background ready to invite a contest at the most inopportune and unexpected moments. By this time, some of the actors, all of whom entered the cast on a footing of equality, have come more prominently into the spotlight, and their parts are assuming almost stellar proportions in the following manner: Henry Moses has been selected by his classmates as their president for the second consecutive year; Mary Burwell has been sleected as the Sweetheart of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Gloria Credle has been selected as the Sweetheart of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; Acolia Moore, Nancy McNeil, Mary Jordan, Novella Legrand, Marshall Lofton have taken part in The Night of January 16 . Henry Moses, Barbara McClain, John Mayfield, Cynthia Martin, Edward Thompson, Leon Gilmore have been initiated into Beta Kappa Chi Honor Society for Natural Scientists; Daisy Bowman, Membra Bethea, Marshall Lofton, Mary Jordan, Acolia Moore, Bernard Anderson, Shirley Smith, Fred Young, and William Du- rant have been initiated into Sigma Rho Sigma Honor Society for Social Science Majors; Marshall Lofton and Henry Moses have been selected as the Chief Marshals for Commencement, along with other Marshals who are Daisy Bow- man, DelGratia Moreland, Mary Jordan, Shirley Smith, Willie Worthy, and William Durant. Other unexpected things are happening. Many who came on in the first act with enthusiasm and high hopes have wearied of the struggle and left the cast in search of positions offering speedy remuneration and less brain fatigue. We miss them, but realize that they maybe entirelyjustified in their withdrawal. Before the curtain falls, there is the dreaded but certain conflict. Study ' s emissary, Examinations, is defeated again, but this time more drastically than ever before, perhaps because those who fell by the way before were less vigor- ous fighter sand probably because the survivors profited by their sad fate. As the final climax of Act III, the actors give their most elaborate social affair- The Fantastic Junior-Senior Prom. Again an intermission of twelve weeks, which both actors and audience greatly enjoy, perhaps because they realize that there is but one more act to follow. Act IV arrives at last and is warmly received. By this time, the actors are so matured, so at ease, so changed for the better that they are difficult to recognize. We seem to view with rose-colored spectacles the scene that so soon will vanish. It looks impossibly attractive. We have grown honestly fond of all the cast, some of whom we regarded with anything but favor as the curtain rose on the first act of this queer play. Even that arch-villain, Study seems less formidable. Would not it be curious if we grew to like him ? The actors are certainly on much more familiar terms with him now than they have been before. The action is more rapid and more complicated than in the preceding acts. There is more comedy than before and there are some delightful interpolations. The actors who showed promise of being stars in the preceding act have ful- filled that promise and shine brightly. They are as foUows: Joelyn Sinton has been chosen by the football team as Miss Homecoming; Carlotta Arthur has earned the title of Miss Livingstone; Rosetta Robinson has earned the title of Miss UNCF; Madelyn Barnhill has been selected as the Sweetheart of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Louise Rice has been selected as the Sweetheart of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity; Louis Martin has been chosen as Co-Captain of the football team and he has also been chosen as the Most Valuable Player; E.I. A. C. Honors have been awarded to Edmund Hasty, Fred Smith, and Charles Mc- Ilwain. In basketball Nollie Davis has been selected as the captain and E.I. A. C. Honors have been awarded to Roger Kirk; Henry Moses has been awarded the College Scholarship Award for the second consecutive year; the following have made Who ' s Who in American Colleges and Universities : Marshall Lof- ton, Acolia Moore, Barbara McClain, Henry Moses and Bernard Anderson. The entire production attains a smoothness and a finish that are pleasing. In spite of all the gaiety, grim preparation is going on to the end that those who are new stars may remain so and that others may continue in the cast. Many hearts are weak with anxiety. Astheactnears its close, faces and brows drawn with worry are noticeable for this is the final struggle. Victory means freedom from the dreaded enemy, Study, and his ally, Examinations. At last the fatal hour arrives; Final Examination raises his sinster head. The seniors meet the attack courageously and well organized. As a result of concentration and hard work, the Class emerges victoriously. And then there is the symbolic touch without which no play is complete; there is the ironic twist of the new school of dramatists. Study, met face to face, is found to be a friend and not the enemy it was thought to be. It is now accepted as a valuable ally to possess throughout Ufe. The strenuous prepara- tion for battle was a blessing in disguise, and everyone is happy. And now as the curtain slowly comes together on the fourth act of the play, the entire cast, with our diligent preisdent, George Tharrington, and our advisor. Miss Charlotte L. Chatman, pause on the threshhold of life with a burst of pride and glory because we have reached a milestone on the path that leads to the margin of excellence. Mary Elizabeth Jordan, Class Historian
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